Cinema
Raja Harishchandra
राजा हरिश्चंद्र
Dhundiraj Govind Phalke · 1913
Synopsis
Harishchandra, a just king who always keeps his word, has disturbed the meditation of the sage Vishwamitra. To honour the promise made to the sage, he gives up his kingdom to him, then parts with his wife Taramati and his child, each sacrifice testing a little further his fidelity to his given word.
Context
For this first film, the director's wife, Saraswatibai, learned from him how to perforate and develop the film stock. For lack of actresses, the female roles were played by men: Taramati was played by Anna Salunke, a restaurant cook. The shoot took nearly eight months in and around Bombay. Shown on 21 April 1913 at the Olympia before the press, the film was released on 3 May at the Coronation Cinema in Bombay. When the prints were worn out, Phalke remade it shot by shot in 1917, in a shorter version.
Who it is for
A silent film of about forty minutes, of which only fragments survive, to be seen as a document; the legend is assumed to be known.
Prizes and reception
Regarded as the first Indian feature film, it earned its maker the title of father of Indian cinema; a great success on its release.
Sources for this page 7
The pages consulted to check this page.